Thermostatic steam trap



Aug. 7, 1923.

T. CARDWELL THERMOSTATIC STEAM TRAP Filed March 20, 1922 Patented Aug, 7, i923.

unit's a I THOILAS CARDWELL, 0F SEDALIA, MISSOURI.

THERMOSTATIC STEAM TRAP.

Application filed March 20, 1922. Serial No. 545,311.

T 0 all wiiomc't may concern:

Be it knownthat T, THOMAS GARDWELL, a citizen of theUnited'States, and a resident of the city of Sedalia, county of Pettis, and State of Missouri. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Thermostatic Steam Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to thermostatic steam traps for collecting and automatically discharging water of condensation in steam heating systems and it relates more particularly to thermostatic steam traps otthe kind used in connection with steam heating systems for railway cars.

The principal objects of the present invention are simplicity and cheapness of construction, certainty-of operation and compactness of design; and the invention consists in'the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

, In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification and wherein like numerals indicate like parts in the several views, 1 s

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a thermostatic steam trap embodying my invention, the trap cover being removed and the anchor for the thermostatic rod being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the trap on the line 22 in Fig. 1; and

F ig, 8 is a vertical cross-section through said trap on the lines 3--3 in Fig. 1.

The thermostaticsteam trap shown in the accompanying drawing comprises a shell or box 1, preferably of cast iron, provided with a removable cover plate 5. The shell or casing l is provided in one side wall, adjacent to one end thereof, with an inlet 6 which communicates with the steam pipe 7 of a steam heating system, preferably of the kind used for heating railway cars.

The shell 41 has a circular recess or outlet chamber 8 formed in its bottom, said chamber being located I at the end opposite from the inlet 6 and conmmnicating through a horizontal outlet passageway 9 with an outlet or discharge pipe 10. The drain chamber 8 isclosed by means of a liftvalvell have a depending stem 12 surrounded by a coil spring 13, which rests on the bottom of the chamber 8, and bears'against the underside of the valve 11, thus tending to lift the same off its seat. The drain valve 11 is provided with an upstanding tubular stem 14 arranged for sliding'movement in a circular opening in the horizontal web portion on an inverted tJ-shape bracket 15, which straddles said valve and is provided with base flanges secured to the bottom of the trap chamber by means of screws.

A pin 16, having a hemispherical. head 17 provided with a circular base 18 of slightly larger diameter, is slidably mounted in the upper end of the tubular valve stem 14;; and a 001i spring 19 is arranged within the bore of said stem, between the lower end of the pin'lG and the bottom of said bore, and tends to force said pin upwardly. A pin 20 extends through alined holes in the upright valve stem 14 and an elongated slot 21 in the pin 16 and serves to limit the upward movement oi: said valve-pin 16,

Located within the steam pipe line 7 is athermostatic member in the form of a cylindrical rod 22, preferably of rolled zinc. The inner end of the thermostatic rod 22 is provided with a threaded extension 23 which is slidably supported in an axial bore in the spiderof a union 2%]: that connects the adjacent ends of the pipe sections of the steam line 7; and said extension is provided on opposite sides of said spider with adjusting nuts 25, whereby said rod is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of said steam pipe line and locked in the desired position of adjustment. The end portion of the thermostatic rod 22 projects into the trap through the inlet 6 thereof and has an eX- ;tension 26 threaded thereon. This extension has a pivotal connection with an arm 27 arranged within the trap for horizontally swinging movement. The arm 28 has one end pivotally supported 011 a pivot-pin 29 located adjacent to the inlet endo'f the trap-chamber and in alinement with the axis oi": the lift-valve 11. This pivot-pin has its lower end supported in a boss in the bottom or the trap chamber and has its upper end journaled in a lug that projects horizontallydrom the end wall of said chamber. The operating arm 28 extends beyond the axis of the valve 11; and the thermostatic rod is pivotally connected to said arm, adjacent to the pivoted end thereof, by means of a-pin 30 that extends vertically through alined holes in said arm and in the extension 27 of said rod.

The valve 11 is closed by means of a lug 31 on the underside of the free outer end of the operating arm 28. This lug is located in the plane oi the hemispherical head 17 of curved or beveled surface adapted to engage said head when the operating arm is swung across the same, thereby depressing said pin and closing the valve 11. The valve 11 is automatically locked in its closed position by means of a trigger 32' arranged for horizontal sliding movement in the spaced upright arms of a U-s'haped supporting' bracket 33. This bracket is secured to the guide bracket 15 in position to enable the trigger to engage the shoulderedhead of the valve-pin 16, thereby looking the valve 11 in its closed position. A coil spring 3% is sleeved on the trigger or lock-rod 32, between the head thereof and the adjacent-arm of the supporting bracket therefor, and tends to force the head of the lock rod into engagement with the head of thevalve-pin 16 when the same is depressed by the action of the operating arm. The trigger or plunger rod 32 is provided at its rear end with an upstanding finger 35 located in a path of a lateral extension 36 on the forward. end of the operating arm 28, whereby said extension during the rearward movement of said arm is adapted to engage said finger, thereby withdrawing the locking pin from engagement with the valve-pin 16 and permitting the valve 11 to be lifted off its seat by the pressure of its supporting spring 13. The finger 35 is adjustable longitudinally of the trigger 32 and is held in the desired position of adjustment by means of aset screw 37 The operation of the valve mechanism above described is as follows: Assuming that the valve 11 is open live steam passes through thesteam pipe 7 and causes a gradual elongation of the thermostatic rod 22, which action swings the free outer end of the operating arm 28 towards the valvepin and forces the beveled forward end of the lug 30 into engagement with the l1emispherical head of said pin, thereby depressing the same and causing the drain valve ll to seat and close the discharge opening. As condensation proceeds and the cool water collects within the trap and reaches the level of the thermostatic rod 22, said rod gradually contracts and swings the arm clear of the pin 16. Continued movement of the operating arm causes the lateral projection 36 thereof to engage the adjustable finger 35 of the lock-pin 32 and disengage the same from the valve-pin 16, thereby permitting the same to be lifted off its seat by the pressure of the spring 13. The water of condensation isthen blown-out through the discharge pipe 10 by the pressure ofthe live steam, which causes the thermostatic rod to again expandand actuate the arm to again close the valve '11. Y

My device is applicable to steam heating by adjusting the finger 35 longitudinally of the lock-rod; and the spring support 17 for the valve pin 16 serves to seat the dram valve regardless of wear of the valve orithe seat therefor.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made without departing from the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

That I claim is:

1. In asteam heating system a thermostat steamitrap therein, said trap comprising a casing having an inlet in communication with said system and an outlet .for the discharge of water of condensation, :a valve in said outlet, means tending to open :said valve, a thermostat, means operati-ng by said thermostat for closing said valve, and means for automatically locking said valve in its closed position,-said locking means being adapted to be actuated by said valve closing meansto nnlockssaid valve after the valve closing means is disengaged therefrom.

2. In a steam heating system, a steam trap thGIGlIl,-S2Lll trap comprising a casing-having an inlet in eommunication with said system and an outlet forthe discharge of water of condensation, a lift-valvein said outlet, means tendingto .opensaidvalve, a thermostat,--an armpivoted in said casing and adapted to enga'ge said valveto close the'same, said arm being operatively connected to said thermostat to be-actuated thereby, and a trigger for automatically locking said valve when closed, said trigger being adapted to be actuated by said arm to unlock said valve after the gaged therefrom.

3. In a heating: system, asteam trap therein, said trap comprising a easing-having an inlet in communication with said system and an outlet for the discharge of water of condensation, a lift-valve in said outlet, means tending to open said valve, a thermostat, and a lever 'movable-across'said valve and adapted to gradually. close the same, said lever beingoperativelyfconnected to said thermostat to beactuated thereby.

' 41.. In .a heating system, a steam trap there in, said trap comprising a casing havingan inlet in communication with said'system and an outlet for the discharge of-water of eondensation, a lift-valveinsaid; outlet, means I arm -is disentending to open said valve, a thermostat, a lever movable across said valveand adapted to gradually close the same, said lever being operatively connected to said thermostat to be actuated thereby, means for automatically locking said valve in its closed position, and means carried by said lever for re leasing said locking means after said lever is clear of said valve.

5. In steam heating system, a steam trap therein, said trap comprising a casing having an inlet communicating with said system and having an outlet open to the atmosphere, a valve in said outlet, means tending to open said valve, a thermostat, means operated by said thermostat for closing said valve, means for automatically locking said valve when closed, and means carried by said valve closing means for releasing said valve locking means after the valve closing means is disengaged from said valve.

6. In a steam heating system, a steam trap therein, said trap comprising a casing having an inlet communicating with said system and an outlet for the discharge of water of condensation, a lift-valve in said outlet, means tending to open said valve, a spring supported pin on said valve, a lever arm adapted to engage said pin to close said valve, a thermostat for actuating said lever arm, and a spring pressed pin adapted to engage said valve-pin in the closed position on said valve to lock the same in said position, said locking pin being adapted to be engaged by said lever to unlock said valve after the lever is disengaged therefrom.

7. A steam trap for steam heating systems, said trap comprising a casing having an inlet adapted to communicate with said system and an outlet for the discharge of water of condensation, a lift-valve in said outlet, a spring tending to open said valve, a spring-supported pin carried by said valve, a lever arm arranged for swinging movement'across said pin to depress thesame and thereby close said valve, a thermostat in said inlet and operatively connected to said lever for actuating the same, a spring pressed lock-rod adapted to engage said pin in the closed position of said valve to lock the same in said position, said lock rod being adapted to be disengaged from said pin to release said valve after said lever is swung clear of said pin.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 18th day of'March, 1922.

THOMAS GARDWELL. 

